10 DIY Ways to Say I Love You

Put your do-it-yourself skills to work. What could be more motivational than love?

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing without hurting your cash flow.

A Heart-Shaped Year. Print out 20 to 25 photos of memorable moments from the last year. Arrange them into a heart on the refrigerator door with magnets, against a corkboard with thumbtacks, or tape them to the bathroom mirror for a morning reminder of your love, a la this lovely version from The Lilypad.

Oh, How You Can Count the Days. Show your sweetheart that your love lasts year-round by creating a custom calendar. To go the total DIY route, download a 2014 calendar template, print it out, and create your own custom art or messages for each month of the year. For an approach that’s simpler and only slightly more expensive, design a custom photo calendar through a service like Shutterfly or Vista Print.

The 14 Days of Valentine’s. Borrow a theme from Christmas by making an advent-style calendar for the lead-up to V-Day with a special sentiment or gift for each day. We love these posts from Damask Love and Tip Junkie for sweet inspiration.

Borrow From the Easter Bunny. Why should the Easter Bunny have all the fun? Leave ‘hidden’ surprises for your sweetheart in places you know they’ll be discovered. Stick a tiny paper heart on the rearview mirror. Leave a message on your sweetie’s work voicemail before he arrives at the office. Surprise her with an amazing dinner for two when she walks in from a long day at work.

Make a Heart-Shaped Breakfast. One of our favorites is a heart-inspired egg in a basket. First, cut a heart from a piece of toasted bread. Place the bread in a heated skillet, and crack an egg into the heart-shaped hole. Once it’s cooked, smother in your favorite béchamel sauce. Here’s a step-by-step from Pinch My Salt.

Cook a Thematic Dinner. Cooking a dinner full of red-colored foods can be creative and whimsical. Instead of relying on food coloring, stick to foods that are naturally red and delicious, like tuna tartare with roasted red peppers or an antipasto platter with tomato salad and sliced red meats. And for dessert, we can’t wait to try these heart-shaped red velvet cheesecake brownies.

Frame Up Your Love. We were totally inspired by this photo frame decorated with flowers handmade from old book pages. The best part about this particular project? You can use a regular old picture frame from around the house. Don’t forget to pop in a photo of a favorite moment you shared with your special someone.

Turn On Your Heart Light. If you thought you wouldn’t see those Christmas lights again for another year, think again. Twist two wire hangers into a heart shape and wrap twinkly lights all around for a sign of the glowing bond you’re here to celebrate.

Treat Your Sweet With Sweets. Make him feel like a kid again with Rice Krispie treats – with a Valentine’s twist. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut your treats into sweet expressions of your love. Decorate the treats with red candies or sprinkles. Spoonful walks you through the process.

Love on a Coffee Mug. Start Valentine’s Day, and every day, with a reminder of your devotion. Buy a plain, ceramic mug and use Sharpies to express yourself with words or images. Then fill the mug with candy or hot chocolate to give him a delicious start to his day. For example, this mug on My Sister’s Suitcase is sweet and heartfelt.

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